B.Sc. Honours in Zoology (University of Jaffna)

M.Phil. in Zoology, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka (2018)

I am a Zoologist with academic training in animal physiology, molecular biology, and medical entomology. I obtained my B.Sc. Special Degree in Zoology and M.Phil. in Zoology from the University of Jaffna, and completed my Ph.D. in Zoology in 2025 at the University of Peradeniya through a split-site programme in collaboration with the University of Bern, Switzerland.

My teaching interests include Animal Cell Biology and Biomolecules, Animal Genetics, Molecular Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Developmental Biology, Molecular Animal Physiology, and Vector Control.

Positions and Employment

• Senior Lecturer in Zoology, University of Jaffna: July 2022- Present
• Research Assistant at Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Switzerland: Jan- March 2023, Jan-Feb 2024
• Lecturer in Zoology, University of Jaffna: July 2017 to July 2022
• Research assistant in Zoology, University of Jaffna: April 2015 to July 2017
• Lecturer (Temporary) in Zoology, University of Jaffna: April 2014 to March 2015
• Demonstrator in Zoology, University of Jaffna: May 2013 to March 2014

Awards
• National Science Foundation merit award for Scientific Publications – 2019, 2020
• President’s Research Award for Scientific Publications – 2018
• National Science Foundation award; Certificate of Commendation for the M.Phil. research project – 2018
• Best presenter award in the National Conference on Insect Vector Biology, organized by the department of Zoology, University of Jaffna- 2016
• Sir Sangarapillai Pararajasegaram memorial prize for best performance in the special degree examination in Zoology during the annual convocation- 2013

Contributions
• Founder President, Zoological students` association University of Jaffna (2013)
• Organizing Committee member of Vingnanam International Research Conference (2018).
• Editor for the Department of Zoology Newsletter (2019).
• Programme review committee member (2020).
• Secretary, Jaffna Entomological Society, Jaffna (2023-2025).
• Coordinator for undergraduate research incentive program funded by IMHO (2025-present)
• Student Councilor (2025- present)
• Member of the Curriculum Development, Revision and Monitoring Committee – Faculty of Science (2026)

Sivabalakrishnan K, Hemphill A, Karunaratne, S.H.P.P, Naguleswaran A, Roditi I, Surendran, S.N., Ramasamy, R. (2025). Preimaginal development of Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) in brackish water gives rise to adult mosquitoes with thicker cuticles and greater insecticide resistance. Journal of Medical and Veterinary Entomology. (in press)

Ramasamy R, Chen X, Zhang J, Sivabalakrishnan K, Arthiyan S, Surendran SN. (2025). Lectin Microarray Analysis of Salivary Gland Glycoproteins from the Arboviral Vector Aedes aegypti and the Malaria Vector Anopheles stephensi. Journal of Vector Borne Diseases; doi: 10.4103/JVBD.JVBD_147_24.

Sivabalakrishnan K, Thanihaichelvan M, Tharsan A, Eswaramohan T, Ravirajan P, Hemphill A, Ramasamy R, Surendran SN. (2023). Resistance to the larvicide temephos and altered egg and larval surfaces characterize salinity-tolerant Aedes aegypti. Scientific Reports. 19;13(1):8160.

Tharsan A, Sivabalakrishnan K, Arthiyan S, Eswaramohan T, Raveendran S, Ramasamy R, Surendran SN (2023). Wolbachia infection is widespread in brackish and fresh water Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in the coastal Jaffna peninsula of northern Sri Lanka. Journal of Vector Borne Diseases;60(2):172-178.

Surendran SN, Nagulan R, Tharsan A, Sivabalakrishnan K, Ramasamy R. (2022). Dengue Incidence and Aedes Vector Collections in Relation to COVID-19 Population Mobility Restrictions. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease; 7(10):287.

S.N. Surendran, L. Kesavan, T.T.P. Jayadas, K. Sivabalakrishnan, A. Tharsan, N. Liyanagedara, T. Eswaramohan, S. Raveendran, O.P. Singh, R. Ramasamy (2022). Morphological and odorant-binding protein 1 gene intron 1 sequence variations in Anopheles stephensi from Jaffna city in northern Sri Lanka. Med Vet Entomol; doi: 10.1111/mve.12595.

S.N. Surendran, R. Nagulan, K. Sivabalakrishnan, et al (2022). Reduced dengue incidence during the COVID-19 movement restrictions in Sri Lanka from March 2020 to April 2021. BMC Public Health; 22:388.

R. Ramasamy, V. Thiruchenthooran, T.T.P. Jayadas, T. Eswaramohan, S. Santhirasegaram, K. Sivabalakrishnan, A. Naguleswaran, M. Uzest, B. Cayrol, S.N. Voisin, P. Bulet, S.N. Surendran (2021). Transcriptomic, proteomic and ultrastructural studies on salinity-tolerant Aedes aegypti in the context of rising sea levels and arboviral disease epidemiology. BMC Genomics; 22:253.

S.N. Surendran, T.T. P. Jayadas, V. Thiruchenthooran, S. Raveendran, A.Tharsan, S. Santhirasegaram, K. Sivabalakrishnan, S. Karunakaran, B. Ponnaiah, L. Gomes, G.N. Malavige, Ranjan Ramasamy. (2021). Aedes larval bionomics and implications for dengue control in the paradigmatic Jaffna peninsula, northern Sri Lanka. Parasites & Vectors;14:162.

S.N. Surendran, T.T.P. Jayadas, A.Tharsan, V.Thiruchenthooran, S.Santhirasegaram, K. Sivabalakrishnan, S.Raveendran, R.Ramasamy (2020). Anopheline bionomics, insecticide resistance and transnational dispersion in the context of controlling a possible recurrence of malaria transmission in Jaffna city in Northern Sri Lanka. Parasites & Vectors;13:156.

Jayadas, T., Thiruchenthooran, V., Tharsan, A., Sivabalakrishnan, K., Santhirasekaram, S. and Surendran., S.N, (2020). First record of the presence of Aedes (Phagomyia) cogilli (Edwards, 1922) in Sri Lanka. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 48(3):327-331.

Kokila Sivabalakrishnan, Gajapathy Kanapathy, Tibutius T. P Jeyadas and Sinnathamby N.Surendran, (2020). Population genetic structure of Anopheles subpictus species B using COII and Cytb markers. J Jaffna Sci. Association. 2(1):38-47.

S.N. Surendran, T.T.P. Jayadas, K. Sivabalakrishnan, S. Santhirasegaram, K. Karvannan, T.C. Weerarathne, S.H.P.P. Karunaratne, R. Ramasamy (2019). Development of the major arboviral vector Aedes aegypti in urban drain water and associated pyrethroid insecticide resistance is a potential global health challenge. Parasites & Vectors; 12:337.

S.N. Surendran, J.P. Marasinghe, K. Gajapathy, T. Tharmatha, K. Sivabalakrishnan, T.C. Weeraratne, S.H.P.P. Karunaratne (2019). Genotyping of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Reveals the Presence of Two Genetic Groups in Sri Lanka. Journal of Entomological Science; 54(2):87-93.

S.N. Surendran, K. Sivabalakrishnan, A. Sivasingham, T.T.P. Jayadas, K. Karvannan, S. Santhirasegaram, K. Gajapathy, M. Senthilnanthanan, S.H.P.P. Karunaratne, R. Ramasamy (2019). Anthropogenic Factors Driving Recent Range Expansion of the Malaria Vector Anopheles stephensi. Frontiers in Public Health; 7:53.

K. Sivabalakrishnan, T.C. Weerarathne, A. Thileepan, S.H.P.P. Karunaratne, R. Ramasamy, S.N. Surendran (2019). Susceptibility to common insecticides and detoxifying enzyme activities in Anopheles sundaicus (sensu lato) after cessation of indoor residual spraying of insecticides in the Jaffna Peninsula and its surroundings in northern Sri Lanka. Parasites & Vectors; 12:13.

S.N. Surendran, K. Sivabalakrishnan, T.T.P. Jayadas, S. Santhirasegaram, A. Laheetharan, M. Senthilnanthanan, R. Ramasamy (2019). Adaptation of Aedes aegypti to salinity: Characterized by larger anal papillae in larvae. Journal of Vector Borne Diseases; 55:235–238.

S. N. Surendran, T. Veluppillai, T. Eswaramohan, K. Sivabalakrishnan, F. Noordeen, R. Ramasamy (2018). Salinity tolerant Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus – infection with dengue virus and contribution to dengue transmission in a coastal peninsula. Journal of Vector Borne Diseases; 55(1):26-33.

S.N. Surendran, K. Sivabalakrishnan, K. Gajapathy, S. Arthiyan, T.T.P. Jayadas, K. Karvannan; S. Raveendran, S.H.P.P. Karunaratne, R. Ramasamy (2018). Genotype and Biotype of Invasive Anopheles stephensi in Mannar island of Sri Lanka. Parasites & Vectors; 11:3.

ABSTRACTS IN NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Sivabalakrishnan, O. Karunarathne, C. Thavaranjit, T. Eswaramohan, S.N. Surendran (2019). Assessing entomopathogenic effect of locally isolated fungi on dengue vectors using micro-injection. Proceedings of the 39th annual session of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka; Abstract number 3-

TibutiusThaneshPramanayagamJayadas, KokilaSivabalakrishnan, ThiruchenthooranVaikunthavasan, SharangaSanthirasegaram, TharsanAnnathurai, Sinnathamby Noble Surendran (2019). Mosquito diversity in the Jaffna municipal council area. ATBC Asia Pacific Conference 2019; Abstract number 217.

KokilaSivabalakrishnan, Pavilupillai J. Jude, Tibutius T.P Jeyadas, KalingarajahKarvannan, VaikunthavasanThiruchenthooran, Sinnathamby N. Surendran (2019). Cytogenetics of Sri Lankan Anopheles subpictus complex. Proceeding of the Jaffna Science Association abstracts; Abstract number 15(26):15.

Thiruchenthooran, A. Tharsan, Tibutius T.P. Jeyadas, S. Kokila, S. Sharanga, K. Karvannan, S. N. Surendran (2019). Field evaluation of locally developed gravid female traps and mosquito attractant to collect major dengue vectors. Proceeding of the Jaffna Science Association abstracts; Abstract number 17(26):17.

ArthiyanSivasingham, KokilaSivabalakrishnan, Tibutius T.P Jeyadas, KalingarajahKarvannan, SharangaSanthirasegaram, MeenaSenthilnanthanan, UmasuthanSrivigneswaran, Sinnathamby N. Surendran (2018). Limnological characterization of Anopheles stephensi breeding sites in Mannar and Jaffna. Proceedings of the 38th annual sessions of the institute of biology; Abstract number 1:4.

KokilaSivabalakrishnan, Thilini C Weerarathne, SHP ParakramaKarunaratne, RanjanRamasamy, Sinnathamby N. Surendran (2018). Susceptibility of Anopheles subpictus complex in Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts after the cession of indoor residual spraying. Proceeding of the Jaffna Science Association abstracts; Abstract number 25(1):5.

Tibutius T.P Jeyadas, Thilini C. Weerarathne, KokilaSivabalakrishnan, SharangaShanthirasegaram, S.H.P. ParakramaKarunaratne, Sinnathamby N. Surendran (2018). Insecticide susceptibility of polluted water breeding Aedesaegypti in Jaffna. Proceeding of the Jaffna Science Association abstracts; Abstract number 25(1):4.

Sivabalakrishnan, A.Thileepan, R.Manivasakan, K.Gajapathy, S.H.P.P.Karunaratne, R.Ramasamy and S.N.Surendran (2017). Insecticide susceptibility of major malaria vectors in the districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi after the cessation of indoor residual spraying (IRS). Proceedings of abstracts, National conference on insect vector biology-2016, University of Jaffna; Abstract No: 1-15.

My research interests focus on Molecular Animal Physiology and Vector Biology, with particular emphasis on molecular biology–based approaches. I have extensive experience in insecticide resistance and its underlying biochemical and molecular mechanisms, including detoxification enzyme systems, cuticular resistance, and morphology-related studies using electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. My research areas also include medical entomology, population genetics, cytogenetics and epigenetics.

Grants:

University Research Grant-2019: (URG/2019/SEIT/21)